Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design, 6e (Valacich)
Chapter 2 The Sources of Software
1) A company may consider outsourcing if it feels that its core mission does not involve
managing an information systems unit and that it might achieve more effective computing by
turning over all of its operations to a more experienced, computer–oriented company.
CLLO: Explain how IS can be used to gain and sustain competitive advantage
Classification: Synthesis
AACSB: Information Technology, Reflective Thinking
2) Outsourcing can include having a firm develop and run another firm’s application on its
computers.
CLLO: Explain how IS can be used to gain and sustain competitive advantage
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
3) For many organizations, the most cost-effective way to manage payroll operations is through
in-house development.
CLLO: Explain how IS can be used to gain and sustain competitive advantage
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
4) Information technology services firms do not use the same methodologies, techniques, and
tools that companies use to develop systems in-house.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
1
5) In enterprise solutions, the difference between the modules and traditional approaches is that
the modules are integrated to focus on the business functional areas, rather than on business
processes.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
6) One of the primary benefits of using an enterprise resource planning system is the short time
period required for implementation.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
7) By 2015, it is predicted that the total global market for cloud computing will reach $1.1
trillion.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
8) Cloud computing is slower in allowing a user access to internal applications.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
2
9) Cloud computing is a low-cost access method to corporate-quality data.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
10) Cloud computing always complies with government regulations.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
11) Open-source software is developed by employees of a particular company.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
12) The source code itself is not freely available for open-source software.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
13) Despite all the alternative sources of software, in-house development is still an option.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
3
14) When resources and staff are available and a system must be built from scratch, the best
option would be to go with a packaged software producer to obtain the software.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
15) Cloud computing is best when a supported task is generic and one does not need instant
access.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
16) Open-source software is best used when cost is an issue.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
17) When choosing off-the-shelf software, the two most important criteria are functionality and
ease of installation.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
4
18) Purchased software cannot be modified.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
19) If a company purchases application software, it does not necessarily need to conduct systems
analysis.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
20) Ease of installation is a measure of the difficulty of loading the software and making it
operational.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
21) Because existing pieces of software have already been tested, reusing them tends to result in
higher-quality software with lower defect rates, decreasing maintenance costs.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
5
22) Component-based development’s focus is on creating specific pieces of software that can
only be used once.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
23) Research has found that reuse of object class libraries resulted in decreased productivity.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
24) The reuse of object class libraries has been found to reduce defect density.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
25) Rework can be reduced by reusing object class libraries.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
6
26) Due to the low cost of developing a reusable component, most organizations can compete
economically with established commercial organizations that focus on selling components as
their main line of business.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
27) Strategic business goals of the organization must be matched to the organizations approach
to off-the-shelf software.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
28) The benefits of reuse grow as more corporate experience is gained from it.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
29) As more corporate experience is gained from reuse, costs and the amount of resources
necessary for reuse to work will increase also.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
7
30) Storage refers to making software assets available for others to use.
CLLO: Compare and contrast different methods for developing information systems
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
31) The practice of turning over responsibility of some or all of an organization’s information
systems applications and operations to an outside firm is referred to as:
A) realignment.
B) downsizing.
C) outsourcing.
D) time sharing.
E) system reassignment and deployment.
CLLO: Explain how IS can be used to gain and sustain competitive advantage
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology
32) When developing information systems, an organization could use all of the following
EXCEPT:
A) an information technology services firm.
B) open-source software.
C) cloud computing.
D) in-house development.
E) hardware maintenance firms.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
8
33) Packaged software producers create software such as:
A) R/3.
B) Excel.
C) Linux.
D) Firefox.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
34) In many instances, off-the-shelf software can meet up to ________ percent of an
organization’s needs.
A) 50
B) 60
C) 70
D) 90
E) 100
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
35) A system that integrates individual traditional business functions into a series of modules so
that a single transaction occurs seamlessly within a single information system rather than several
separate systems best describes:
A) enterprise resource planning (ERP).
B) application service.
C) storage area network.
D) packaged software.
E) system integration software.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology
9
36) All of the following are benefits of enterprise solutions, EXCEPT:
A) a single repository of data for all business processes.
B) module flexibility.
C) immediate integration of new modules.
D) shifting toward enterprise solutions means changing business processes.
E) shifting from separate systems to a seamless, integrated system.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology
37) The provision of computing resources over the Internet so that customers do not need to
invest in infrastructure is called:
A) cloud computing.
B) raindrop computing.
C) leased computing.
D) centralized computing.
E) backbone computing.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Concept
AACSB: Information Technology
38) All of the following are reasons to go with cloud computing EXCEPT:
A) freeing internal IT staff.
B) gaining access to applications faster.
C) reduced development time.
D) achieving lower cost access to corporate-quality applications.
E) access to large and complex applications without having to implement the system in-house.
CLLO: Discuss best practices for selecting, evaluating, and managing information systems
projects
Classification: Application
AACSB: Information Technology, Application of Knowledge
10